SUNRISE REGION: McInerney helps Cougars claim crown
A.J. McInerney was frustrated with the way he ended the front nine on the final day of the Sunrise Region boys golf meet at Mountain Falls.
After a double bogey on the ninth hole, the junior knew he needed correct himself to help his team win its fourth straight region title.
Boy, did he ever.
McInerney eagled the par-5 No. 11 and played a bogey-free back nine Wednesday en route to a 1-under-par 71 and a two-day total of 142 that helped the Cougars claim the championship with a 729 total.
Coronado and second-place Foothill (766) advanced to the Class 4A state meet at Hidden Valley in Reno.
“I turned with a double on 9, and that kind of put some fire in me,” said McInerney, who shot 33 over the final nine holes with a birdie on No. 14. “I knew I needed a decent run on the back just for the team, more than anything. I was able to play the par 5s 3 under and not make any bogeys.”
Foothill’s Taylor Montgomery won his second straight individual title, sinking birdies on Nos. 10 and 11 for a 70 and two-day total of 138.
McInerney finished second, with teammates Kenden Slattery (145) and Tad Darland (147) also placing in the top six.
Green Valley freshman Jordan Green tied Slattery for third, and Foothill’s Bailey Rogers was fifth at 146.
The team’s success was much more important to the UNLV-bound McInerney, who was playing in his first full meet after a back injury sidelined him most of the past month.
“It’s a lot of fun, competing with each other and motivating each other to get better,” McInerney said.
Coronado coach Joe Sawaia said the return of McInerney, last year’s state champion, bolstered his team’s confidence.
“We averaged 380 all year, and the majority of that was without A.J.,” Sawaia said. “Getting him back, even though he wasn’t 100 percent this week, that really skews the averages in our favor. We had to do without him quite a bit.
“It’s a testament to our depth. We had Julian (Glasser, who shot 80 Wednesday), who was two shots off the lead of the tournament, and we threw his score out today. At any one time, one guy can step up and medal.”
Green Valley narrowly missed advancing as a team but still qualified Green and teammates Hayden Cottle (163), Cody Smith (164) and Blaise McComb (164) for state. Silverado’s Josh Fisher (149),
Eldorado’s Giovanni Latty (155) and Las Vegas’ Zach Thomas (164) also qualified for state.
Second Round
At Mountain Falls (par 72)
x-Foothill 373-393–766
Green Valley 403-400–803
A.J. McInerney, Cor 71-71–142
x-Jordan Green, GV 74-71–145
Kenden Slattery, Cor 71-74–145
Bailey Rogers, Foot 69-77–146
Tad Darland, Cor 71-76–147
Matt Welch, Cor 72-77–149
x-Josh Fisher, Sil 76-73–149
Julian Glasser, Cor 70-80–150
Christian Pate, Cor 76-76–152
x-Giovanni Latty, Eldo 73-82–155
Lawrence Lopez, Foot 77-82–159
x-Hayden Cottle, GV 79-82–161
Connor Bodin, Foot 78-85–163
Robert Zoucha, Foot 81-82–163
x-Zach Thomas, LV 80-84–164
x-Cody Smith, GV 83-81–164
x-Blaise McComb, GV 83-81–164
John Wilborn, CS 82-83–165
Zack Gainey, Foot 84-82–166
x-state qualifier
